1944

Frederick L. Hier Lovejoy Hill Cornish Flat, NH 03746

Over the years, Al Barrett graced these notes—as he graced a lot of things. In a January letter, he wrote nicely and proudly about his three daughters' "hat trick," all three having managed to become pregnant in the same year. Then the heavy news in February of Al's sudden death of a heart attack. Al's obituary was prominent in Baltimore newspapers, but a friend wrote a follow-up letter to the Baltimore Sun a short while later. This is what he wrote:

"Editor: Although Allen M. Barrett's obituary was accurate in its facts, it failed to xcapture the essence of the man and his life, and that saddened me.

"What about the young people who read the obituary? What about the 17-year-olds, the 25-year-olds, even the 33-year-olds? The principles by which Allen Barrett lived would tell them, I think, a great deal about a generation that came before their own and, perhaps, give them something to aspire to.

"Barrett (some of his friends simply used the last name) was the best kind of American of the World War II generation. He lived by a self-imposed code of self-responsibility, self-honesty, responsibility to others, responsibility to the community. His life was one of honor, and I do not blush to use that word.

"All of this explains, for example, why he fought on Iwo Jima twice, not trying to find a way out of returning to that hellish island after having been wounded and evacuated. And it explains an incident that, I suspect, not many of his friends know about.

"He was accosted on a downtown street at dusk by a would-be robber who grabbed Barrett's shoulder and demanded his wallet. Barrett looked the robber in the eye and said very calmly, 'Get your hand off my shoulder.' And the robber did, saying to Barrett with a chuckle as he walked away, 'You're all right, man.' How many of us would have had that much courage to stand up for what is right?

"Allen Barrett's splendid family is witness to his character, his code. Speaking for myself, I always wished I could live up to his standards. He was an old-fashioned man in the best sense of the word, and if one 17-year-old reads this and is moved to consider his or her own life, it will be a valuable testament to Barrett's memory."

That's it. See you at reunion, June 13-16. Blessings.

DARTMOUTH 1944'S 45TH REUNION • 13 TO 16 JUNE 1988 44 IN 88 DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE! DOUBLE YOUR FUN!